Plataneros cap perfect season, claim LPVS title
- The San Juan Daily Star
- 10 hours ago
- 2 min read
By THE STAR STAFF
The Plataneros of Corozal won the Puerto Rican Men’s Superior Volleyball League (LPVS by its initials in Spanish) championship on Sunday night at Howard T. Jason Arena in Corozal, defeating the Toritos of Cayey in four sets.
The best-of-five title series ended 3-0 in favor of Corozal, who secured the victory with set scores of 25-15, 26-24, 19-25 and 25-19.
Under the coaching of Ramón “Monchito” Hernández and Raúl Papaleo, the Plataneros completed an impeccable 16-win season that also included an 11-0 regular-season campaign and a 2-0 elimination of the Patriotas of Lares in the LPVS semifinals.
“Happy, super happy. Thank God, first of all,” team manager Eliud Ortiz said after the title-clinching victory. “This started as a kind of training camp for the guys, but we didn’t know the public support would be so great. We are grateful for the support of the people of Corozal.”
“As Iván from [the Department of] Recreation and Sports said, when we started this project three years ago, not many believed,” Ortiz added. “But little by little, it has come to fruition; people have trusted us and been patient.”
Luzgardo Liciaga was named Most Valuable Player of the finals, thanking God for the honor.
Tournament director Noel Nazario emphasized that “[t]his championship demonstrates the quality and future of Puerto Rican volleyball.”
“We congratulate the Corozal Plataneros for their effort, perseverance, and commitment to the sport,” he said.
The 2025 LPVS season featured five teams: the Plataneros, Toritos, Patriotas, Reyes of Juana Díaz and Criollos of Caguas.
“This season has truly reflected the growth and passion for volleyball in Puerto Rico,” LPVS President Jesús Colón said in an official statement. “We congratulate the Plataneros of Corozal on their historic performance, and we are deeply grateful to the sponsors, fans, and participating teams for making this season a celebration of sports and community.”